Superior Fire Department Making Changes for Future Needs
SUPERIOR, Wisc. — The Superior Fire Department is looking forward to upcoming changes that will help prepare the department and its facilities for the future. Fox 21’s Pat Brink has the story.
The Superior Fire Department is taking to heart Mark Twain’s comment that ‘to stand still is to fall behind.’ Camron Vollbrecht, the man who became Superior’s Fire Chief at the first of this year is leading the effort to make the department ready for the next 30 years.
The Superior Fire headquarters building is just four years old, but the two other stations have been in service for more than 40 years and the Fire Chief says it’s time they were updated. The Superior Mayor and City Council’s budget for next year includes money for engineering and architectural work on the stations.
“When we look at these stations, you look at the demographics of firefighters. Back in 1981, it was about 99.9 percent male. That is changing thankfully.,” said Camron Vollbrech, Superior Fire Chief. “We’re moving on to a more diverse workforce. Those two stations have one single bathroom. They have a stall and a urinal and so we’re going to be adding a second bathroom to those stations and a second shower. “The improvements to the two stations are expected to occur in 20-05 and 20-06.
The department is also looking at reducing its fossil fuel use. Solar panels on the roof of the department’s headquarters are one step in that process. These panels will supply 150 percent of the stations’ current electric needs.
The fire department is considering purchasing an electric fire truck, if that happens, the solar panel’s power will be enough to keep it fully charged. Already a smaller, all-wheel electric pickup truck is being used, mainly for medical calls. But can be used for other needs.
Vollbrecht said “The small vehicles give us a lot of benefits. They are easier for our people, the wear and tear on getting in and out of a tall vehicle like a fire truck. The ride quality for fire trucks generally don’t ride as well as a passenger vehicle is, so they get jostled, especially in the spring and fall when we have frost and we get heaving in our roads. Allowing having an all-wheel drive smaller vehicle that allows us quickly to get down alleys, and streets gives us maybe a little quicker, but most importantly gets us there a little safer. ”
The department has a second electric pickup, but it’s not quite ready to be used. When it is ready, it will be a command vehicle used by senior fire officials at incident sites.
